Tips for Refilling your Inkjet Cartridges Successfully
Always refill the cartridge BEFORE it runs completely out of ink.
- Failure to do so will likely burn out the resistors in your cartridge and it will be ruined.
- Printing until the last bit of ink is gone will also cause serious clogging problems. The resistors in the print head are "firing" at a very high temperature, and as the ink runs out the residual ink will be "cooked" in the jets and become hardened plugs that sometimes render the cartridge unsalvageable.
If you do not have time to refill the cartridge when it needs it then put it in a sealed zip-lock bag with a damp paper towel until you can get to it.
- It only takes a few hours - sometimes less - for a cartridge to dry out and become unusable when the ink is all gone.
Don't store empty cartridges for months and then try to refill them.
- You will have more problems than you want to deal with. Empty cartridges dry out and become worthless.
VERY IMPORTANT - One of the most common problems with refilling is cross-contamination. It most often happens from the bottom of the cartridge up and not by overfilling and running over the top, as most people think. PLEASE read and follow the instructions below to avoid cross-contaminating your color cartridge.
If you are refilling a color cartridge be sure to hold it up and watch the print head so you can see when the ink starts coming out. As soon as you see the ink start oozing out of the print head daub it with a tissue and back your needle up and disperse the rest of the ink higher up in the cartridge. If the ink still tries to ooz out the print head the chamber is full and you don't need to put any more ink in it.
- If you don't pay attention to the print head as you are refilling and drop comes out it will "wick" up into the neighboring chambers and you will have cross-contamination. That means your blue with be maroon, your yellow will be green, etc.
- If this happens it will usually straighten itself out after you print a while with it and use up the contaminated ink in the bottom of the cartridge.
Be sure and put the ink in SLOWLY.
- Putting the ink in too quickly will cause the ink to foam sort of like the head on a root beer. It will not print well, to say that least.
Do not overfill the cartridge.
- Many are tempted to keep putting ink in until they see it come to the top. When you see the ink come to the top it is usually too late - you have overfilled the cartridge and probably cross-contaminated the colors. The cartridge will also be very apt to leak if it is overfilled.
- Only put in the recommeded amount of ink for each color. (Black cartridges, also)
Do not use inks for one type cartridge in another
- There really are quite a lot of drastic differences in the inks. Using the wrong ink can cause problems ranging from hopelessly clogged print heads to runs, drips, bad colors, and all of them put together.
- Use only ink formulated for the cartridge you are refilling.
- If you have a question about the compatibility of your ink with another cartridge contact us for that information at sales@vamex.com.